Needham woman charged with murder of elderly neighbor

A Needham woman is being held without bail on a murder charge after her elderly next-door neighbor was found dead in her home with multiple slash wounds, among other injuries.

A not guilty plea was entered on behalf of Tammie P. Galloway, 47, on Friday to charges of murder and larceny of a motor vehicle in connection with the death of Laura Shifrina, 81. Her body was found in her 146D Linden St. home May 31. Galloway lived at 146C Linden St., according to the criminal complaint.

Paul M. Dumouchel, executive director of the Needham Housing Authority, on June 30 said that the properties on Linden Street are designated for the elderly and disabled. Despite being under the age of 60, Galloway was allowed to live there because she demonstrated during the application process that she had a disability, according to Dumouchel. According to the authority’s website, it requests Criminal Offender Record Information during the application process.

Galloway, dressed in a white shirt and jeans, entered Dedham District Court in handcuffs and stood near the lawyers and Judge Michael Pomarole to hear the charges. Assistant District Attorney Greg Connor said Shifrina was found with eight lacerations on her neck along with four broken ribs and other more superficial wounds. The elderly victim was discovered dead in her home by her daughter, Anna Doubenski of Newton.

Several items, including a cell phone, red 2011 Ford Fiesta, a black purse, a ring, a pair of earrings and approximately $3,000 in cash were missing from the apartment, Doubenski told Needham Police officers.

Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey said in a brief press conference that he would not comment on a motive for the crime but that, “We believe it was an isolated incident.”

Timeline of the case

On June 1, Galloway came to the Needham Police Station for an interview about the murder and told officers she had been in Shifrina’s home on the afternoon of May 28 to use Shifrina’s phone, according to court documents. Galloway added that she had never been in the victim’s car.

Boston Police found Shifrina’s missing 2011 Ford Fiesta at 12 p.m. on June 1 in the 1800 block of Dorchester Ave. in Dorchester, according to court documents.

In the report, Trooper David DiCicco said, “When the doors to the vehicle were opened, investigators, including myself, were overwhelmed with the smell of bleach.”

On May 29, surveillance footage showed a Ford Fiesta driving along Dorchester Avenue. The driver, who police believe to be Galloway, was seen wiping the door handle with a cloth or toilet paper, according to the documents. The male passenger, later identified as Theotis Nodd, was seen carrying what police believed to be a bottle of bleach.

On June 11, Nodd told police during an interview that he saw Galloway wipe down a black purse with bleach and throw it in a dumpster on the evening of May 28, according to court documents. The next day Nodd said Galloway asked him to help her clean a car.

He said he and Galloway wiped down a red sedan with bleach and paper towels, according to court documents.

Police also reviewed another surveillance video that ran from May 28-29. In it they saw a woman identified as Galloway on May 28 visit the Boston home of Alicia Teixeira and Vonzerella Huggins, who Galloway referred to as her aunt.

During an interview, Teixeira told police she went into a room where Huggins and Galloway were and saw a large amount of money, some of which appeared to have blood on it.

Teixeira told police then agreed to drive Galloway to Needham to get some of her belongings. After retrieving clothes, food, a gun and two knives and putting them into a bag, the two left Needham. On the way home, Galloway asked Teixeira to take out money from an ATM using a card she gave her. Teixeira tried two times, but she wasn’t able to take out any cash. According to Shifrina’s Bank of America account, there were two unsuccessful ATM withdrawal attempts made on her account.

On June 11, police searched Huggins’ home with Huggins, her son Nodd and Galloway present. The address of Huggins’ home was redacted in the criminal complaint. Officers found Galloway’s purse that had blood stains on it. According to the State Police Crime Laboratory, the genetic material found on the purse matches Shifrina’s genetic profile, court documents stated.

Police also said Galloway had other items stolen from Shifrina, including the car and cell phone, the documents stated.

According to the Board of Probation, Galloway had 20 adult arraignments. In North Carolina she had been charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and assault and battery with a deadly weapon serious injury, among other charges.

Galloway is being represented by defense attorney Robert Jubinville. A probable cause hearing will take place on July 28 at Dedham District Court.